Powered devices (PDs) operating under the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) inline power standards, e.g., the IEEE 802.3 standard, are attractive to customers for their electrical power saving capabilities. Often PDs will require more power than what is provided by power source devices. In such cases, PDs receive power from multiple IEEE 802.3 compliant power source equipment (PSE) devices. Equipment producers, however, are reluctant to build these high-power PDs until more high-power PSEs are available. Similarly, PSE producers are reluctant to build high-power PSEs until there are more high-power PDs. This prevents broad market acceptance of higher powered PDs.